TROUBLE | JJ Maybank

027. What are we?

AMELIA GROANED AS sunlight filtered through the curtains, pulling the blanket over her head. She wasn't ready to face the day—or the aftermath of the night before.

Reluctantly, she swung her legs over the edge of the couch and rifled through her bag, pulling out a tropical print crop top and a pair of lace-up denim shorts. Tugging on the outfit, she caught her reflection in the mirror—a fleeting moment of stillness before stepping back into the whirlwind.

The house was quiet as she stepped into the hallway. Amelia's feet carried her towards the living room. Amelia spotted JJ standing by the window, staring out at the yard with an intensity she couldn't place. "Hey," she said softly, breaking the silence.

JJ turned around, his gaze falling on her "Hey, Mils."

Amelia hesitated, the air between them heavy "Can we talk about last night?" Amelia asked, her voice soft.

JJ's body tensed slightly, but he nodded "Yeah...we probably should" 

Amelia nodded "I know what I did was reckless. But I couldn't just sit there. J, the thought of doing nothing hurt more than the risk I was taking." She explained, her voice steady.

"Did you even think? At all?" JJ asked, pausing to ask, "What would happen if you had died?"

Amelia's breath hitched, averting her gaze as she contemplated her next words "All I could think about was Mrs Crain shooting you or JB" " she said, her eyes softening "J, I can't lose you. Any of you"

JJ froze, his body relaxing, frustration leaving him. "Mils.."

Amelia slowly stepped forward, her heart pounding as she closed the distance between them. "I get it, J, but I wasn't about to lose you or JB. "

"You don't get it, Mils. You can't just throw yourself into danger like that," JJ said, his voice low "I couldn't live with myself if something happened to you"

Amelia met his gaze, her eyes vulnerable as she grabbed his hand. "I need you to trust me when I say I can handle myself." She said, pausing "Because there isn't anything I wouldn't do for you"

JJ's hand tightened around hers, his thumb brushing over her knuckles. His eyes searched hers, a storm of emotions behind them—fear, care, and something else he couldn't name. For a moment, everything felt still. Their faces were just inches apart, and their breath lingered in the quiet space between them.

Then, JJ pulled back. His hand slipped from hers as he looked away "What are we doing?"

Amelia swallowed hard. "I...I don't know," she whispered, "But I can't keep pretending like nothing is happening"

Silence hung in the air, thick with unsaid things. JJ shifted on his feet, running a hand through his hair, his gaze dropping to the floor.

Finally, he let out a sigh. "We can't, Mils. Not right now"

Amelia nodded, her heart sinking, but she understood. "Yeah... I get it," she said, her voice soft, clearing her throat. "Friends?" she asked, extending her hand.

JJ glanced between Amelia and her hand. "Friends," He said, giving her the Pogue handshake.

"HE SAID IT looked something like this", Kiara said, showing the girls the diagram.

"So..." Sarah said, running a hand through her hair, trying to make sense of it.

"So that's 50 feet down, and they're using 100-feet rope," Amelia said, tracing the diagram with her finger.

"So I guess this little wagon will go...straight to the gold room", Kiara added, tracing the diagram. as she stifled a laugh.

Sarah chuckled, shaking her head "Who drew this?" she asked.